The present invention relates to the method of playing stringed musical instruments of the guitar family.
Instruments of the guitar family are characterized by the provision of an elongated fretted fingerboard having a plurality of tensioned strings immediately above the fingerboard, and means for amplifying the musical note produced by the vibrations of the strings when actuated as by being plucked by a plectrum or the user's fingers. In electric guitars, the sound amplifying means include a set of magnetic pickups, each pickup being close to a string, and the electrical outputs of the pickups are fed to electric amplifier devices of many different kinds. The electric guitar of the present invention is of this latter type, and has a body, preferably wooden, of generally rectangular cross-section consisting essentially of an elongated fretted fingerboard, a headpiece extending upwardly therefrom and a tailpiece extending downwardly therefrom. A magnetic pickup assembly is located near the tailpiece immediately above a set of tensioned strings attached to the tailpiece and headpiece.
From the musical viewpoint, a preferred instrument is characterized by the provision of a total of nine tensioned strings extending longitudinally immediately above the fretted fingerboard, and tuned in the following way: A first, highest pitched string; a second string tuned a perfect fourth interval below the first string; a third string tuned a perfect fourth interval below the second string; a fourth string tuned a perfect fourth interval below the third string; a fifth string tuned a perfect fourth interval below the fourth string; a sixth, lowest bass string tuned a major seventh interval below the fifth string; a seventh string tuned a perfect fifth interval above the sixth string; an eighth string tuned a perfect fifth interval above the seventh string; and a ninth string tuned a perfect fifth interval above the eighth string. Thus the third and ninth strings are tuned to the same pitch; the second string is tuned one octave above the eighth string; and the first string is tuned two octaves above the seventh string.
The provision of nine strings so tuned, when played with the fingers of both of the user's hands tapping the strings and holding them against selected frets, increases the chordal, melodic, and contrapuntal possibilities for producing a full, orchestral sound. By having his two hands free to engage nine strings, the performer is enabled to play bass, chords and melody simultaneously. There are strings for left-hand chords on both sides of the lowest pitched bass string (the sixth string in the series of nine). Normally, on this instrument chords are executed with the five strings tuned in intervals of fourths on one side of the lowest bass string, together with the three strings tuned in intervals of fifths on the other side of that bass string. Melody, however, is played almost exclusively on the first five strings tuned in fourth intervals. In effect, there are two groupings of strings partially overlapping the register covered. Melody played with the right hand in the upper portion of the fingerboard necessarily cancels out some of the notes on the left-hand chord in this method of two-handed playing. Thus the three strings not used for melody help to create the effect of the chord sustaining over the melody line.
One finger at one fret can tap and hold two or more strings at the same time. This technique allows easy and natural double, triple, or quadruple fourths or fifths in musical intervals, such intervals fitting in well with more complex chords. This capability is a result of the string tuning and, when exploited with the left hand, allows ease of chording, so that the performer can give more concentration to right-hand melody.
The string tuning of the present instrument, as described above, produces unusual and attractive musical results. First, the tuning of the first five strings, or "melody" strings, in uniform intervals of perfect fourths allows easy and natural transposition of chords and scale patterns from one combination of these strings to another. The tuning concept multiplies the opportunities for using a single chord or scale pattern, as contrasted with the case of a conventional guitar with its strings conventionally tuned, with a major third interval between the second and third strings. In the latter case, each chord and scale pattern must be individually learned. In the present instrument, this tuning principle of uniform intervals applies also to the sixth, seventh, eight and ninth strings, constituting the four "base and chord" strings.
Secondly, the two groupings of strings on either side of the lowest base string, overlap in the same register. Thus, chords using strings from both groupings contain intervals of major and minor seconds, which are easily and naturally fingered, as in the case of playing a piano.
Thirdly, ascending perfect fifth intervals on the second grouping of "base and chord" strings result in the same sequence of notes relative to each other as that produced by the descending perfect fourths of the melody strings.
Fourthly, tonal symmetry between the two groupings of strings heightens the logical relationship of bass to chords and to melody, since the first string is two octaves above the seventh string, the second string is one octave above the eighth string, and the third and ninth strings are the same note.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a unique method of playing a stringed musical instrument. It is another object of the present invention to provide a method wherein there will be increased the chordal, melodic and contrapuntal possibilities. Yet another object is to provide a method which will enable the production of a full, orchestral sound from an instrument of the guitar family. Still another object is to enable an instrument of this type to be played utilizing the fingers of both hands for tapping. Still another object of the present invention is the provision of right hand tapping of melody strings and left hand tapping of bass and chord strings.